Does Your Business Need a Staff Handbook?

A staff handbook serves many purposes – yet surprisingly, many businesses still choose to operate without one. However, most HR professionals recommend that you provide every member of staff with a copy, as it ensures employees are familiar with all company policies and procedures. In this article, you’ll find out what a staff handbook should […]

How to Deal with Employee Resignation

Unfortunately, even the most loyal employees resign from time to time. In some instances, their resignation is unforeseen; and can leave you feeling bewildered and unsure how to proceed. It’s important to be prepared for staff resignation; and to know the steps you need to take to manage their departure successfully. Here’s a quick guide […]

Understanding Contracts of Employment – And How to Get Them Right

You’ve gone through the recruitment process and found the ideal candidate. You’ve sent them a contract of employment. What could possibly go wrong? Regrettably, this is a complex area of employment law, and if your contract of employment isn’t appropriately worded, it could cause problems in the future. Here’s a guide, detailing the key things […]

Employment Law – Dealing with Unauthorised Absence

The average UK employee is absent from work for 6.9 days of the year. For the most part, these absences are authorised, which means they’re considered ‘valid’ in the eyes of the law. There are plenty of legitimate reasons why your employee might need time off – for example; maternity leave, jury service or illness […]

Employment Law – How Can You Avoid Discrimination When Hiring?

When hiring staff, your priority is to find the right person for the job. However, without a human resources team, it’s solely your responsibility to identify candidates with the right credentials and qualifications – and also someone who’s the ‘right fit’ for your organisation. Sounds simple, right? Actually, recruiting can be a surprisingly emotive experience. […]

Exit Interviews – Why Bother?

If as a business, you struggle with a high staff turnover and are wondering why, then you should conduct an exit survey or exit interview. After a few of these a pattern should begin to emerge that will highlight where you may need to make some changes in the workplace. Once you receive notice that […]

Improve Your Workplace Productivity

Improving your Company Culture Company culture, by definition, is something that determines how an organisation’s employees and management interact with each other. It is something that naturally develops over time, making it extremely difficult to reform. Company culture is directly linked to employee engagement, so the benefits of a successful reform can be huge. It […]

Family-Supportive Management and the Work-Life Balance

As the saying goes, “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”. This means that without taking proper time off work to pursue other activities, a person is at risk of becoming bored and unmotivated; something that can negatively impact on entire organisations. Discussing one’s personal life in work used to be regarded […]

Harris Law’s Top 10 HR Resolutions for 2017

From everybody at Harris Law, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! We’ve taken a look back over the years to compile a list of what we believe are the most useful tips and hints for you to take into the New Year. So, without further ado, here are our top […]

Fire Safety in the Workplace: the Basics.

At Christmas time, it is not uncommon for organisations to get into the festive spirit and decorate the office. Perhaps your office has an artificial tree this year, covered in tinsel, baubles and fairy lights. Decorating the office for Christmas may seem harmless enough, but can actually be a fire hazard if done incorrectly. The […]